"If there spelling or grammar is off, just let it go." On purpose? :)
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Nerds, we need to have a talk (2011)
11–20 of 89 posts
Re: Nerds, we need to have a talk (2011)
#12You can't really compare skate-boarding critics to 'nerds' behind a screen. For 1, the reason we have so much of this is because of the anonymity of it all. It's quite easy to criticise others in an abusive manner when nobody/barely anybody knows who you are. In real life that wouldn't happen to such a degree.
but why this is happening? why people have that trait of behaving like this when they are confident about anonymity? probably it's consequence of problems in teenage-hood, or something. and adding to this topic, i'm also curious about reasons why people are 'trolling', especially when their 'trolling' is offensive, angry. and i have no clue what causes that behavior..
Boredom is a huge source of trolling.
Watching someone else's over-reaction is a very easy source of entertainment. Reality TV is a great example of this.
Re: Nerds, we need to have a talk (2011)
#13The appropriateness of this showing up on Hacker News, the Internet's favorite dream killer in Show HN threads and perpetual contest to see who can be most correct in comments, should be lost upon no one.
If you participate here -- myself included -- this is a message to heed.
Re: Nerds, we need to have a talk (2011)
#14> be more like my [imaginary] friend Steve
ftfy.
Re: Nerds, we need to have a talk (2011)
#15my favorite example of this is asking a question that outs you as a total noob in #C++ on freenode.
Re: Nerds, we need to have a talk (2011)
#16I like it to a degree, the 'geek' culture (how I hate typing that) cuts through bullshit faster than others. I don't mind being insulted if it comes with a helpful suggestion. I LOVE IRC channels where you get the answers: "You're shit for asking that question, but the answer is X".
In general, I find that if the conversation stays civil, the topic retains the spotlight and is not overshadowed by personalities and hurt feelings. In other words, IME, you can 'cut through the bullshit' w/o being a dick and you'll achieve better outcomes. Plus, you won't be a dick.
Yeah, I don't mind some heavy criticism at all when it's deserved-- but not everyone can take critism as well.
I don't know if this is true, but the stereotype of geeks is that they lack "emotional intelligence". I think it's important to recognize the people we talk to on irc, news lists, etc. are people too and it's important to be truthful & helpful, not just needlessly hurtful.
Re: Nerds, we need to have a talk (2011)
#17In my day, the internet was for porn. Now it's for porn AND self-righteous lectures about how many hugs everyone deserves because they're an 'innovator' or 'female' or 'lgbt' or 'autistic.'
Re: Nerds, we need to have a talk (2011)
#18You can't really compare skate-boarding critics to 'nerds' behind a screen. For 1, the reason we have so much of this is because of the anonymity of it all. It's quite easy to criticise others in an abusive manner when nobody/barely anybody knows who you are. In real life that wouldn't happen to such a degree.
but why this is happening? why people have that trait of behaving like this when they are confident about anonymity? probably it's consequence of problems in teenage-hood, or something. and adding to this topic, i'm also curious about reasons why people are 'trolling', especially when their 'trolling' is offensive, angry. and i have no clue what causes that behavior..
Perhaps, but give a man a mask and he will tell you the truth.
Re: Nerds, we need to have a talk (2011)
#19I agree. I think the worst of HN comes out whenever anyone submits a personal blog post.
If you read the comments for ANY blog post submitted, you will see how it has become a giant game to discredit everything the author says. I think it's good to be skeptical, and as nerds we have plenty of skepticism to go around, but there are ways to be do it with a little more taste and respect.
I've been looking at some of the profiles of the main cynics I see time and time again and they have like 6000 karma, but only 3 submissions in their entire lives. Crazy to think they just get all of that karma from tearing down other people's work while not creating anything themselves.
Re: Nerds, we need to have a talk (2011)
#20You can't really compare skate-boarding critics to 'nerds' behind a screen. For 1, the reason we have so much of this is because of the anonymity of it all. It's quite easy to criticise others in an abusive manner when nobody/barely anybody knows who you are. In real life that wouldn't happen to such a degree.
but why this is happening? why people have that trait of behaving like this when they are confident about anonymity? probably it's consequence of problems in teenage-hood, or something. and adding to this topic, i'm also curious about reasons why people are 'trolling', especially when their 'trolling' is offensive, angry. and i have no clue what causes that behavior..
Actually, the bit about being a jerk behind anonymity isn't particular to nerds: studies show it cutting across pretty much all walks of life. That doesn't excuse the nerds, but it does mean that examining the problem in the context of nerds alone probably isn't very useful. Nobody is immune, and as it turns out, nerds are not especially susceptible. Whatever causes this, it speaks to something much more universal than nerddom.